Method of and apparatus for packaging material



June 15 1926. 1,588,647

' A. M. BATES METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING MATERIAL Filed May6, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 v )lde/m er/lBaztes.

June 15 1926.

A. M. BATES METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING MATERIAL Filed May 6.1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ade/mer/fBazea June 15 1926.

A. M. BATES METHOD OF AND APPARATUSFOR PACKAGING MATERIAL s Shets-Sheet5 Filed May 6. 1925 flde/mer/IBazc-es.

attowwqdn Patented June 15, 1936.

.v um'rso s'rATss lra'rsurorrics.

ar. am; or cm'caeo, rumors, assxexoa re earns vamfa nae conrm, or 10400,m nors. a coaroasnon or wns'r vraemmj lemon or arm 2mm ron. racxaemsxa'ra'arar.

Applieatlon'fled' an a, 1025. Serial No. 28,321.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for packagingmaterial. The in.- vention has for its object to providea'process and1lzpparatus by which material may a be inser in success ve sections ofan elongated tube of suitable bag-formwglmaterial and the tube closedabout the c arges to form bags. More specifically, the invention has forts object the provision of a method I and apparatus whereby charges maybe in-.

serted t ough openings injthe side of a tube of indefinite length. Thedetails and minor Y objects of the invention will appear as the descrition proceeds.

In t e accompan ing drawings forming a f part ofthis ,spec', cation,Fig. 1 is a side elevation of apparatus appropriate for.

carrying out my process; Fig. 2 is a front elevation ofthe apparatusshown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3'is a partial front elevation of parts 4 shown in Fig. 1, showingtheir positions at a'difl'erent stage of the process; 'Fi 4 is a partialvertical section suhstantia 1y on the line 4-4, Fig.

tion through the ower end ofthe feed s out andflthe cooperating'portionof the oat; Fig. 6 is a detail section substantially on the line 6--6,Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is'a rear elevation of the float; Fig. 8 is-a sectionsimilar to Fig.

4, showing an alternative-form of float and float-anchoring means; Fig.9 is a rear elevation of the lower portion of the float shown in Fi 8';Fig. 10 is a plan view of a portion of t e float stem shown'in Fig. '8;.35 and Fig, 11 is a section detail of another form of floatranchoringarrangement. The form of apparatus illustrated is mounted upon aframework 20 from whichrise guides 21 for a vertically adjustable .40sewing head 22 and guides-23 for charge forming anddischarging'apparatus 24. A roller cage 25 is suspended by rods orcables 26 in operative relation to t e charge delivering apparatus. Theca s has mount- 4 ed therein a lower pair of rol ers 27 and an n perpair of rollers 28. A tube 29 of suita le bag forming materialisthreaded be tween the pairs of rollersand over a float 30. Tube 29 maybe supplied from any suit- 50 "able source, as from a coil or? ackage ofpreviously formed tubing or" rom ap aratus whichdforms the tubingprogressive y as it is use The float comprises a tubular bodypor- 2;Fig. his a detail secs.

beneath flange or we 43 comprises plates 33 between which there is a'rod 34 carr ing rollers 35 and a rod 36 carryling r0 era 37. Preferablythe rollers on t e two rods are arranged in stag ered relation, asshown'in Fig. 6, so that fairly large rollers may be used without havingtheir outer sides excessively "far I apart. Y

Front and rear plates 38 are attached to a cross-piece 39 above rollers35 and 37, and at their upper ends are fastened-to a block 40. End pates33 and cross-piece-39 may be integra with the stembelow' rollers 35 and37 as indicated on the drawings, or they ma be separable; if desiredj heupper end of the rear side of body portion '31 of the float is providedwith a shearing edge 41. Above this cutting edge there is a resilientlymounted flapper 42 havi a flange or toe 43 at its lower end. The c-arge-forming apparatus is provided with a downwardly directed dischargespout 44 having a knife 45 on the front side of its lower end. Y

Rollers 35 and 37 rest upon the walls of bag-tube 29 which in' turn restupon rollers 27 so thatthe-position of the float is-determined by thesition of the cagescarrying rollers 27; T e cage is so adjusted that,when the cage and float are swung to the pcsitionjin whlch'they areshown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, knife 45 shears the wall of tube 29 acrossshearing edge 41 and 'enters'the tube which strikes against the front ofthe float, preventing knife 45 from contacting the wall of the float anddetermining the distance which the float may be pushed to the rear. Whenin this position, the bottom of discharge spout 44 registers withthe'opening formed in the side of tube 29 and with the hollow interiorof the float, so that material may be discharged through the spout intothe bag-tube.

At the sides of flapper 42 there are ears 46 "so mounted that they'tend' to move to the of the float as viewed in Fig. 1.

At the distance of a; bag-length below shearing edge 41 the float isprovided with an irregularity which may be felt through tub e29. InFigs.4"and7 this irregularity platform 48 adapted to' support the bottom ofthe bag while the charge is be" de osited. In front of and below platorm 48 there is a conveyor 49, and sewing head 22 is so adjusted as tobe a bag-length above wnveyor 49.

It is generally desirable to have some printed matter, indicated by waof example at 50, on each bag; and in or er that this rinted mattermaybe roperl-y positioned on the bags, the bag-en s must come at theproper places along the tube. The tube is shown with indicating marks 51located thereon'so that, if the tube is severed at these marks, theresultant bags will have the printed matter properly positioned thereon.

The sewingmachine is-provided with two needles, not shown, adapted tosew seams along lines 52; andpreferably means is provided for guiding atape 53 beneath the 7 needles, so that the seams may be reinforced. I

fairly apparent from the foregoing descrip- This is especially desirablewhere the bagtube is made of paper. A knife, not shown,

isoperated in connection with the needles and sewers the .bag walls andreinforcing ta e between the seams.

Vhen the tube is swung to one side, as shown in Fi 3, there is atendency for the tube to wri 'le or fold on the side next the sewingmachine, as at 54. This may be taken advantage of to-assist in making apleat or bellows fold at the end of the seam,

' which shortens the seam, strengthens its ends and aids in making asquare-ended bag.

As the tube is fed throughthe machine, it is first straightened, by thefilled lower portion coming in line with the upper portion, and thenbent in the opposite direction, so that a similar fold may be madeeasily at the other end of the scam. p

A different form of float 55 is shown in Fig. 8. The body of this floatis substan tially the same as that shown in Figs. 4 and 7 except, thatinstead of an integral bead 47, there is provided a removable beadmember 56 having a suspending shank 57 adapted to hook over the upperedge of the float.

As :will be seen, this bead member may be easil. removed at any time andre laced by anot er member having a shank 0 different length. I

A float-suspending roller 58 is shown in f Fig. 8, and float 55 isprovided with a hook- I shaped member 59 adapted to fit over roller 58.A- bag tube-60 is led from any suitable source and threaded over thehook 59 and float 55. The book is shown provided with .of the'hook androllers 62 being mounted in flanges 64 on the lower side of the book. In

this way the up er wall of the tube rides over rollers 61 w ile thefloat and hook are supported on rollers 62 which ride on the lower wallof the tube. Flanges; 63 and 64 may be extended to stiffen the hooklongitpldinally, and assist in holding it in proper s a e.

If desired, the float .might be provided with a stem 65 such as shown inFig. 11, with spaced rollers 66 inplace'ofthe nested rollers shown inFigs. 4; and 6;- but this requires either a greater s reading of the bagtube orsmaller rollers t an'wherthey are nested, and therefore the form,shown in Figs. 4 and 6 is preferred.

In the form of float shown, the lower corners are flattened and extendedoutward at 67 so as to form two substantiall parallel plates at theopposite sides of the Get at its lower end. \Vhen desired, these platesmay tion, but may be stated connectedly as follows:

The float is arranged with its stem in the. v cage, so that rollers '35and 37 rest upon rollers 27. Then a bag-tube is led from any suitablesource and passed between rollers 28, around the float stem, betweenrollers 27, around the float and downward until its lower end is levelwith the sewing machine, when its lower end is closed by sewing a seamthereacross. Y

Then, if desired, the bag-tube is raised until plates 67 press thecorners out and open up the end of the bag, whereafter the.

tube is pulled down until the first mark 51 from the closed end is feltto be in alignment with bead 47. A groove around the float at this pointmay be felt through the wall. of the tube, but it has been discoveredthat an outwardly projecting bead is felt more readily, and isthereforepreferable. Then the float is swung to the rear. Asthe float ispushed to the rear, knife 45 shears through the tube wall and thedischarge spout comes into registry with the slit that is opened in thismanner,'as' seen in Fig.5. While the parts are in that position,'with'the closed end of the bag-tube resting on platform 48, a properlyweighed or measured charge of material is passed through thedischargespgut and float into the bottom end of the tu e.

After the lower end of the tube has received its charge in the mannerdescribed above it is swung forward and to one side and r0 ped ontoconveyor 49. A fold is formed in the side of the tube next thesewingmachine and the tube is fed through the machine. As it is fed, afold is formed in .are severed between the seams.

In thisway the filled end of the tube is closed and cut off to form afilled package,-

a at the ends of the slit. v

and the tube is closed above the line of severance and is ready to havethe operation repeated. I

It will be readily understood that, when the float and bag-tube arewithdrawn from the filling spout, flapper 42 presses the wall of thetube outward beyond the upper edge 41 of the float, and ears 46 spreadthe sldes of the tube at the ends of the slit and pressthe tube-wallsback, so that the .tube'moves' downward without catching and tearing thewall above the'slit. v

It will be understood that the height of the sewing head above belt 49'is adjusted to equal'the length of the desired bag, that thecharge-forming apparatus is adjusted so that the end of the dischargespout is two bag-lengths above platform 18, and that .cage 25 isadjusted so that edge 41 slips in i immediately beneath knife 45 whenthe float is swung back to filling posit-ion. Bead 47 is, of course, onebag-length from edge 41.

Where the length of the bags 'is to be varied with considerablefrequency, it is sometimes desirable to use a removable beadmember, suchas shown in Figs. 8 and 9, which may be changed-whenever desired, andavoid the necessity of having a float for each different length and alsoavoid the delay incident to removing and replacing a float.

\Vith some materials and for some purposes it is possible to make thefloat short, and to have only one bag-length below the filling slit atthe time of filling. The objection to this method of procedure as ageneral practice is that it renders difficult proper filling of the bag,because of the room taken up by the float, and there is danger ofthecharge not all passing out of the feed. pipe before the tube iswithdrawn therefrom. I

The forms of float-supporting or anchoring devices shown in Figs. 8 and11 make no material differences in the manner of operating the device.

If desired, filling openings may be formed I in the tube when the tubeis first formed or at any subsequent time before it reaches the float,but forming the opening at the same time the feed s out is registeredtherewith prevents any difficulty in obtaining proper registration ofthe feed spout with the opening.

' 'Difl'erent forms of openin s and feedspouts may be used, but astraight transverse slit is advantageous as it may be formed at thepoint where a bag will be divided from the tube, and so require noadditional clonecting t ings.

sure. Furthermore, such a slit i'sbest opened by spreading theintermediate 'ortions of the two edges substantially equa distances onthe op osite sides of a straight line conl ie two ends of the-slit. Inthis way the maximum opening is formed with a minimum of strain onth'elw'alls of the tube Salt, beans, rice and similar materials requirelittle settling or packing in bags, and fairly satisfactory results areobtained with little more manipulation of the filled tubeend thannaturally accompanies its movement from platform 48to conveyor 49, andthe closing of the. tube above the charge; Where the nature ofthepackaged material or other circumstances render-more packing or settlingdesirable, a jigging table may be substituted for latform 48, the feedspout may be so lengt ened that the material will drop into the tubewith self-packing force, or other settling or packing expedients may beemployed without material change in the essential features of theprocess.

I prefer to make the closures by sewing seams, but other forms ofvclosures'could be used while employing some of the elements of thisinvention nPaper is referred to as a suitable material for thebag-tubes, but other suitable materials may be used. In general, whileone form'of the method and apparatus has been described. insufficientdetail to enable anyone skilled in the art to use the invention, andvariationsin different elements ofthe combination have been mentionedand described, no attempt has been made to enumerate all of thepossiblevariatio'ns-which may be made in the method and apparatus withinthe scope of the appended claims, which define the invention.

What I. claim is z- 1. A process of packaging material, which consistsin inserting, a charge through an opening in the side of an elongatedtube, closing the tube above the charge and-severing the tube above theclosure. 4 I

i 2. A process of packaging material, whic consists in inserting aplurality of. charges of material through a plurality of openings in theside of an elongated tube, and closing the tube on each side of each ofsaid open 3. A process of'packaging material, which consists ininserting a charge of material through an opening in the side of anelongated tube having a closed end, positionin the inserted chargeagainst the cl-oseden of the tube, and closing the tube between thecharge and the opening.

4. A process of packaging material, which consists in inserting a chargeof material through atransverse slit in the side of an elongated tubehaving a closed end, positioning the charge against the closed end ofthe tube, closing the tube between the charge its and the slit, andcompleting the severance of the tube at the slit,

5. A process of packaging material, which consists in insertin aplurality of charges of material throug h a plurality of transverseslits in the side of an elongated tube, closing the tube-on each side ofeach of said slits and completing the severance of the tube at eachslit.

6. A process of packaging material, which consists in simultaneouslyforming an opening in the side of an elongated tube and placing a feedpipe in position-to discharge material into the tube through saidopening, inserting a charge of material through said pipe into said tubeand closing the tube be tween the charge and theopcning. I

7. A process of packaging material, which consists in simultaneouslyforming a transverse slit in the side of a tube and placing a feed pipein position to discharge material into the tube through the slit,insertinga charge of material through said pipe into said tube, closingthe tube between thecharge .and slit, and completing the severance ofthe tube at'the Slit.

8. The process of inserting material into a tube having an opening inits side, which consists in expanding the tube below the opening,collapsing the tube above the opening, and inserting matcrial throughthe opgping into the expanded portion of the tu 9. The process ofinserting material into a tube having a transverse slit in its side,which consists'in separating the edges of the slit by placing thecentral portions of said edges on opposite sides of a straight lineconnecting the ends of the slit and inserting a char e'of materialbetween the separated edges into the tube.

10. The process of inserting material into a tube having a transverseslitinits side, which consists in separating the edges of the tubematerial at the slit by holding one edge away from the opposite wall ofthe tube while pressing the other edge towards said opposite wall, andinserting material between the separated edges and in a'directionsuhestantially parallel with the axis of the tu i 11. The process ofinserting material into a tube having an opening in its side, whichconsists in positioning a portion of the tube vertically, maintaining aportion below said opening expanded, collapsing the portion immediatelyabove-the opening, and dropping material through the opening into theexpanded portion of the tube.

12. The process of inserting material into a tube having a transverseslit in its side, which. consists in positioning a portion of thetubevertically, maintaining the tube below the slit in expanded condition,collapsing the tube above the slit and droppinga charge of materialthrough the slit into' th'e expanded portion of the tube.

13. The process of; packaging material, which comprises positioning aportion of a tube vertically, simultaneously formin a slit in the sideof the tube and separating the edges of the slit to form a downwardlydirected opening finto the tube, and droping into the tube.

14. The process of packaging material, which comprises feeding forward acollapsed tube,expanding the end of the tube, feeding successive chargesinto the expanded end of the tube through longitudinally spaced openingsin the side of the tube, and closing the tube on each side of theopening nearest each charge before depositing the next charge.

15. A process in accordance 'with claim 14, wherein the openings areformed successively as the-yore needed.

16. A process in accordance with claim 14, in which the closures areformed by sewing.

17 A process in accordance with claim 14;, in which the closures areformed by sewing and the tubc'is severed between the seams as the seamsare formed.

18. A process in accordance with claim 14, in which the closuresareformed by sewing parallel seams through a reinforcing tape placedacross the tube.

19. A process in accordance with claim 14, in which the closures areformed by sewing and the tube is bent before'sewing so that it wrinkleson the sidewhere the seam is be gun, and a bellows-fold is formed wherethe tube is thus wrinkled.

'20. A process of forming a closure above a charge, in an elongatedbag-tube, which comprises bending the empty tube above the charge to oneside, forming a bellows-fold in the side of the tube towards which it isbent, sewing a seam acrossthe tube, beginning at said bcllows-fold, andstraightening the tube and forming a bellows-fold in the other sidethereof while the sewing is taking place.

21. In apparatus for'packaging material, means to support a tubemovably, a float adapted to be positioned within the tube, means tomaintain the float stationary while the tube is advanced therearound,and means to feed material through an opening in the side ofthe tube andthrough the float into the tube beyond the float,

22. In apparatus for packaging material, a float, means to maintain thefloat stationary while a tube is moved forward therearound, and a feedpipe in position to feed material through an opening in the side of atube which is positioned around the float and into a portion of the tubeheld expanded by the float. H v

23. Apparatus in accordance with claim 22, wherein the float has atubular portion adapted to register with the feed pipe.

ping a charge of materialthrough the open- 24. Apparatus in accordance.with claim 22, wherein the feed pipe has a knife on its lower edgeadapted to form a feed opening through the tube. f

25. Apparatus in, accordance with claim 22, wherein there is a pair ofrollers between which the tube passes as it approaches the float, andmeans anchoring the float to a member inside the tube on the other sideof the rollers and too large to pass between the rollers.

26. Apparatus in accordance with claim 22, wherein the float has atubular portion below the feed pipe and a flapper above the tubularportion normally pressing the walls of the tube outward as far as thetubular portion.

27. In apparatus for. packaging material, a float comprising a tubularportion and a flapper, means to maintain the'float station'- ary while atube is moved forward therearound, and a feed pipe having an "endadapted to press back the flapper and register with the tubular portionofthe float.

28. Apparatus in accordance with claim 27, in which there is a knife onthe feed pipe adapted to form a transverse slit in the tube and to enterbetween the flapper and the tubular portion of the float.

29. A paratus in accordance with claim 22, in w ich the float is longerthan the portion of the tube required to enclose one charge of material.

30. A paratus in accordance with claim 22, in w ich the tubular portionof the float is longer than one bag length of the tube and has anirregularity thereon one bag length from its upper end easily feltthrough the wall of the tube. v

31. In apparatus for packaging material, means to feed material throughan opening in the side of a tube and means to form a closure across thetube on each side of the openin 32. i pparatus in accordance with claim31, in which the means to feedmaterial comprises a feed pipe outside ofthe tube and afloat inside of the tube.

a bag-tube, and a float adapted to be inserted within a bag-tube andhaving an anchoring device adapted to cooperate with said anti-frictiondevice to retain the float in place while a bag-tube is moved past saiddevices and floattically adjustable.

36. In packaging apparatus, means to in-' sert successive chargesthrough a'- series of longitudinall spaced openings in the side of atube an a sewing head ada ted to sew parallel seams, one on each side 0each 0 ning, and having cutting means adap to complete the severance ofthe tube walls where the opening occurs. 37. In packaging apparatus, anantifriction device adapted to contact the outside of a bag-tube, afloat adapted to have a bagetube passed therearound, means to maintainthe float a fixed distance from said anti-friction device, acharge-forming and feeding device opposite said float, and closureforming means below said float and feeding means.

38. Apparatus in accordance with claim 37, wherein the anti-frictiondevice is ver- 39. Apparatus in accordance with claim 37, wherein thefeeding means is vertically adjustable.

40. Apparatus in accordance with claim 37, wherein the closure formingmeans is vertically adjustable.

41. Apparatus in accordance with claim 37, wherein a knife is attachedto the feeding means and is adapted to form a transverse slit in thetube.

42. Apparatus in accordance with claim 35, wherein the anchoring devicecomprises anti-friction means adapted to contact the interior of thebag-tube wall opposite where the wall is contacted on the exterior bythe first said antifriction device.

43. Apparatus in accordance with claim 35, wherein the anti-frictiondevice comprises a pair of rollers on opposite sides of the tube.

44. Apparatus in accordance with claim 35, wherein the anchoring devicecomprises two sets of rollers adapted to contact respectively theopposite interior surfaces of a bag-tube.

45. Apparatus in accordance with claim 35, wherein the anchoring devicecomprises two sets of staggered, overlapping rollers adapted to contactrespectively the opposite interior surfaces of a bag-tube.

46. Apparatus in accordance with claim 35, in combination with meansoutside of said float cooperating with said float to form plpepings in abag-tube passed over said 47. In apparatus of the character described, apair of parallel rollers adapted to receive a bag-tube therebetween, afloat adapted to be inserted within a bag-tube, and an anchoring deviceattached to the float and comprising two .sets of rollers adapted tocontact respectively the opposite interior surfaces of a bag-tube alonlines where the exterior of said bag-tube is contacted by the first saidrollers.

f 48. Apparatus in accordance with claim 50. Apparatus in accordancewith claim 47, wherein the two sets of rollers of the 22, in which thefloat has a tubular ortion, anchoring device are staggered andoverlonger than one bag-length'ofth'e tu said lapping. rtion having anintegral outwardl pro- 5 49. pparatus in accordance with claim Jectingbeadtherearound one bagength 22, in which the float has a tubularportion from its upper end. longer than one bag-length of the tube, saidIn testimony whereof I hereunto sign my portion having an integral headthere name to this specification. around one bag-length distant from itsupi ADELMER M. BATES.v

* per end,

